Warning lights What does it mean?

Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
  • 1998 VAUXHALL ASTRA
  • 1.8L
  • 4 CYL
  • AUTOMATIC
  • 164,732 MILES
Car just started to give problems. What do these lights mean? It won't start.
Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 4:47 AM

11 Replies

Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
  • 14,548 POSTS
That depends. If you see them right after you turn on the key, that is "bulb test" and it turns them all on as a test to be sure they all work. Normally the charge (battery symbol) the CEL and oil (right light) all go out once the engine is running. The little fan symbol is to do with the cooling fans on the radiator and the light at the far left looks to be the brake warning light. What does it do when you try to start it? Lights come on but nothing else. You hear a click, or the starter tries to turn over the engine, but it doesn't turn? Or does it start turning over but doesn't actually start running?

Take a look at this video and update us on the issue:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dCjmRL3p4Cs
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 5:59 AM
Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Good day, the car with spanner warning light is on when I turn the key, but flashes when I try to start the car.
Someone told me the ECU lost its memory and needs to go for coding. Can that be the problem?
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 6:13 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Okay, that sounds like the security system is active. Usually, the flashing means it isn't detecting a good or valid key. I would try a second key first. If that doesn't work, then you would need to use a scan tool to read the fault or have a mobile locksmith try making a key to test. Both methods can be expensive.
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 12:23 PM
Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
It has the ignition coil the solid one. Both keys don't start the car now.
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 12:59 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Okay, so you put the key in, and it does nothing but flash the light? With 2 keys both doing the same it is more likely in the immobilizer circuit not reading the key. Unfortunately, they don't cover the security system in the available service information. They didn't import that car to North America until 2008. The UK info I can find doesn't even show the electricals.
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 3:46 PM
Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
Both keys yes, the engine turns but does not start. I bought the car drove a month and 2 months in trying to figure out.
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Saturday, May 31st, 2025 AT 11:06 PM
Tiny
STEVE W.
  • MECHANIC
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Okay, that would be typical immobilizer action. The light flashes but no start. With it acting that way with both keys it is a failure in the electrical parts of the security system. The common failure would be the transponder module that reads the key itself. It sends out a small signal and reads the chip in the key. Then it compares that to the stored "good key" list it has and if it's a valid key it turns on the fuel pump and allows the engine to run. Currently the pump is kept off and it won't run.

This might help you as yours should be very similar in build.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=84p6ujCt_xc

Usually you replace that module and then do a relearn of the keys with the replacement module. The catch to that is they require the use of a scan tool to program the keys into the replacement part. A mobile locksmith could likely do it as well, but I would ask first because many can cut the keys and enter them into a working system, but they might not be able to code in the replacement module.
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Sunday, June 1st, 2025 AT 5:29 AM
Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
  • 6 POSTS
I got the light off, but the ignition coil does not spark, it's got 12V power on the plug and coil, but when I tried to turn it over, nothing.
Fuel pump is going on when I turn on the ignition but nothing. I don't have any experience of this vehicle.
Vauxhall Astra G SRI 1.8 16V
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Sunday, June 1st, 2025 AT 6:40 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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How did you get the light to go out? From the description you gave it still sounds like there is a security issue.
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Sunday, June 1st, 2025 AT 7:51 AM
Tiny
GEOFREY HOLTZHAUZEN
  • MEMBER
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I did put an OBD diagnostic and cleared all faults, but after while still appearing.
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Sunday, June 1st, 2025 AT 9:42 AM
Tiny
STEVE W.
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Yeah, that sounds like a typical module failure. If you have a dealer level tool it might let you read the data from the ECM and the transponder, that data will normally be limited though and say things like valid key, and the positions the key is in. They didn't add a lot of info back then.
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Sunday, June 1st, 2025 AT 12:25 PM

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